Anything You Can Do I Can Do better
by MosherGurl
Summary: She was going to prove it.


It was just another typical day with the straw hat pirates. Nothing interesting ever went on here. I yawned loudly before hearing an obnoxious voice call in the distance. I groaned in annoyance; it was that stupid blonde cook.

"Mariko-swan~"

I got an anime sweat-drop and grunted lightly, not bothering to turn around and acknowledge the idiot behind me.

"What do you want Sanji?"

"Dinners ready. I made a special something for you and the girls."

"Happy, happy, joy, joy. I'll be there in a minute."

"Of course my love! Can't wait to see you there!"

"Yeah, yeah."

I heard him walk off and sighed again in annoyance. Sanji, what a knuckle-head. All he did was flirt with me and every other girl on the planet. Only ever stopping to fight with Zoro. It wasn't natural for someone to be as flirtatious as he is. I hated perverts, and Sanji was first class. I pushed myself from the railing and made my way down into the dining room where everybody was already stuffing their faces. To my dismay, Sanji was the first to notice my arrival.

"Mariko-swan, so glad you could join us."

I shrugged off the annoying blonde idiot and took a seat before eating my meal. I had to admit though despite his great annoyance in my life, Sanji was an excellent cook, not like I'd tell him that though. Sanji walked over to the table and took a seat next to me… _No way_. I got up and moved around next to Usopp and Zoro, there wasn't a chance I were sitting next to _him_. Usopp stopped eating for a moment to glance at me.

"Why'd you move around here Mariko?"

"Do I _look_ like I want to sit next to a pervert while I'm eating?"

Sanji laughed softly, catching my attention for a moment.

"Ah Mariko-Chan, you just don't know my love for you."

"Love my ass, you flirt with anything with boobs."

I took a bite of my steak as I heard Sanji sigh dramatically.

"Well I can't deny that. The female species are such a wonder you know?"

I snorted at him loud enough for all to hear.

"Not a girl in their right mind would ever go out with you."

Luffy decided to put his 2 cents in, asking an innocent question as always.

"What makes you say that?"

"Look at him. He swoons over everything, you wouldn't catch me doing that."

Zoro smirked;

"So basically you're saying that you're better than him?"

I blinked at the sword master lightly.

"To put it bluntly, yeah."

Sanji chuckled and lent his head in the palm of his hand.

"Afraid not my sweet pea."

"Pulease! Anything you can do I can do better!"

I looked up from my food to see his smug face. I felt my eyebrow twitch at his unspoken challenge, I accept.

"Is that a bet?"

"Possibly."

Usopp pumped his fist into the air a little too enthusiastically.

"Alright! I smell a challenge here!"

Luffy and the others joined in on the fun, not being able to contain their new found excitement on the ship.

"So what're the stakes!?"

"Hmm, he is right for once. We can't have a bet without stakes."

"Yeah. The best two out of 3 will win and the loser has to do what the winner wants."

I blinked multiple times before realizing what they said.

"Ok then, but I want to know this '_whatever the other person wants_' thing first. Sanji's a pervert. I can't be too cautious."

"What's the matter? Afraid you'll lose and something bad will happen? What happened to all that confidence?"

I narrowed my eyes at the cook, forgetting about the consequences for a moment as I pointed a finger at the blonde.

"These guys will pick the challenges to make things fair and I swear I'll kick your ass at them all!"

Sanji chuckled lightly before rising from his seat and clearing the table. Nami speaking up before I had chance to attack the blonde.

"Alright, you guys go and do your own thing while we think up what to do."

I nodded before leaving the kitchen and onto the deck, realization soon hitting me. What had I just gone and done? I had just dropped myself into a battle royale with Sanji, that's what! I sighed before sitting back on the floor and stared at the sky. I was confident that I could do this, about 50% sure anyway. A grunt of annoyance left my lips as I heard Nami calling me.

"What's up Nami?"

She walked over to where I was sprawled on deck and smiled at me.

"We've all wrote out some things and placed them into a bag. Whatever you draw will be what you're doing. We've put in things of your own advantages and stuff."

Great, now I just had to hope I pulled out what I were good at and not Sanji.

"Ok thanks. When do we begin?"

"As soon as your both ready. Hey, what are you going to do if you win?"

"Hmm, haven't really thought about it yet. But I'm sure I'll think up something soon."

She giggled and nodded a little before I sat up and smiled at the ginger haired woman.

"Shall we begin then?"

"Lets."

We both walked over to the front of the ship where everybody was at. Sanji stood there with a proud look on his face.

"I really don't want to beat you down my sweet, but I will do what I must."

"Yeah, yeah, save it for the games."

Nami shook a box that rattled with paper and held it out in front of her form.

"Ok, now Sanji come and pick a paper from the box."

"Yes Nami-swan!"

What a loser. He went over to where Nami was stood and reached his hand into the box before pulling out a piece of paper. Unfolding it he read the challenge aloud.

"Arm wrestling."

I did a mental happy dance. Arm wrestling was _perfect_. I laid out on the floor a little too enthusiastically and Sanji followed suit. Placing my hand out in front me, elbow to ground, Sanji mimicked the movement and took a hold of my hand with his. A jolt of electricity shot through my form but I pushed it aside. Probably distain from touching this filthy pervert.

"Ready and, begin!"

Sanji begun to push on my hand but it was weak. I smirked and forced my arm down on his, as his arm bent over, hitting the opposite side.

"Mariko wins!"

I stood up and dusted off my hands, smirking down at Sanji who was rubbing his wrist better.

"And that's how it's done."

"The games only just begun my love."

I made an _'ugh'_ sound before walking over to Nami and taking a pick from the box. Pulling out a sheet I unfolded it and read it aloud.

"Cooking, _dammit_."

This wasn't going to go well. I saw Sanji smile from the corner of my eye before watching as everyone set everything up for a cooking competition whilst Sanji and I chatted. Hey, may as well keep myself entertained somehow.

"So what do you want if you win?"

I shrugged at his question.

"I don't know. I'll probably ask for something random."

"Like?"

"Err, wear a dress maybe? What about you?"

"Well I have something in mind."

I glanced at him and saw him smile a little. Not the normal smile he usually gave me. This one was… different. More gentle. Heat made its way up to my cheeks so I wafted my hands in front of my face.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just over-heating a little."

Sanji placed a hand on my forehead and I felt my face heat up even more.

"You are looking a little red. Maybe we should call these games off until another time."

"No."

I grabbed his hand and pulled it from my head, keeping a firm grip on it.

"I want this game to continue. Really I'm fine."

Sanji smiled a little and looked down. I noticed I was still holding his hand and you threw down to his side.

"Tch, just because I'm ahead don't think you can get out of it."

"I wouldn't want anything less my love."

There it was again! That stupid smile! Why was he doing it? Was he trying to throw me off guard? And why the hell am I feeling like this all of a sudden? Maybe I am getting sick. I rubbed my temples before grunting and turning to walk away from him and over to my work station while he went over to his. I will not be thrown by this! Usopp gave the word.

"Okay, and begin!"

I started immediately on the meal. Cooking, was something I sucked at. I could only make simple things. So I decided to make a pork dinner and a fruit salad with cream for dessert. I figured Luffy would be testing the food since he liked eating more than anyone I knew, that; plus he was watching with his mouth watering. Once I finished up Luffy ran over and swallowed the whole thing before going over to Sanji's station and eating all of his. A few minutes passed before he finally swallowed and he looked into space for a minute.

"Well?"

"I say, Sanji wins!"

I ran my fingers through my hair, as if I wasn't expecting _that_. He was a top chef, I knew I could never beat him in culinary skills. I just hoped that the next challenge was done in my favour so I could win this thing. If there's one thing I hated, it was losing. I stood to aside as Sanji pulled out a piece of paper. He hesitated for a moment before reading it aloud to everyone.

"Glass Models."

_BINGO_! Glass models were one of my specialties. I used to make them as my job before I joined up with Luffy's crew. Taking all the materials I needed I begun to create a glass angel. I glanced over at Sanji and saw him struggling slightly with his model. I felt kind of bad, but didn't stop my movements. Once finished, I placed my model on display before looking at Sanji's. His was pretty good I had to admit, but since I've been making these most of my life it was easier for me to carve the right thing in the right place to make it authentic. Usopp looked over the models before smiling.

"Well, I have to say that Mariko wins on this one."

The others agreed and congratulated me on my win but I only noticed Sanji with a sad smile on his face before walking off.

"I'll be right back."

I left the crew and followed Sanji to the kitchen. He was leant against the counter with a cigarette held up to his lips. He noticed me walk in and smiled before inhaling smoke into his lungs.

"Congratulations on your win."

"Well, I don't feel happy about it."

"No?"

"No, because I think we should do something where we don't have advantages. That would have been fair."

Sanji chuckled a little before smiling down at me.

"So you won, what do you want in return for winning?"

I looked up at the cook, a soft smile on my face.

"Nothing."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. It wasn't fair game, so I'm not taking spoils."

Sanji pushed himself off of the counter and walked over to me. Why was he being so defiant? He dropped his cigarette butt and smiled at me.

"But it still counts."

I furrowed my eyebrows;

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does."

"Don't be daft."

"I'm serious."

"Seriously insane."

"Why won't you just take you're stupid victory?"

"Listen you-"

I grabbed a hold of his shirt, he was infuriating me! I stopped myself from punching him when I grabbed something. It was the papers for the challenges.

"This is... Sanji why did you do this?"

The first one was correct: Arm Wrestling. Although the second one I had pulled from his pocket wasn't Glass Modelling. It was Kick boxing... Sanji gave me a sad smile.

"I wanted to make you feel good about yourself."

"With things I already knew how to do?"

Sanji shrugged and gently took my face in his hands. For once I didn't pull away from him or make a snappy comment. He was kind to me all this time, and all I ever did was rip him. I felt lower than I ever had before.

"Why would you do this for me? After everything I put you through, said to you, done to you. I don't understand."

Sanji chuckled lightly and leant his face close to my own. His lips only inches from mine before he spoke again.

"Love makes you do crazy things sometimes."

With that said he closed the gap between us, locking his lips with mine in my first kiss. I felt a strange happiness inside when he kissed me. Pressing my lips gently against his own, he broke away after a short while.

"So, think your better than me at that?"

"Hmm, maybe one more round and I can give you my answer."

Sanji laughed a little before wasting no time in catching my lips again. Okay so I had to admit he was a great kisser, better than myself.


End file.
